


Lily of the Pond

by Inwiste



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Adoption, Character Death, Doriath, Family, First Age, Gen, Laiquendi Oropher, Laiquendi Thranduil, Minor Slash, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:47:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28881195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inwiste/pseuds/Inwiste
Summary: At Melian's request, Oropher embarks on a mission to a nearby settlement and finds something unexpected waiting for them.Thranduil's home and people are gone and Oropher is his only kin left. Oropher takes on the responsibility of raising Thranduil in Doriath, still living under the shadow of Morgoth and the darkening Beleriand.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Oropher & Original Female Characters, Oropher & Thranduil (Tolkien), Thranduil & Original Female Characters
Comments: 8
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

Oropher pulled their cloak tighter to their body as a gust of icy wind hit their face and threatened the already-precarious leather tie that sat loosely at the bottom of their silvery braid. Ossiriand had grown colder in the hundred years that they had been away, the blood from the battle against Morgoth’s forces having seeped into the land and tainted the once-pure nature. Their Laegrim kin had mostly retreated after the devastating casualties inflicted, though some had fled and sought refuge with King Thingol and Queen Melian in the eastern woods of Doriath. They had been living in Doriath for nearly a hundred years at that time, working their way up the court and finally becoming an advisor to King Thingol himself. The ones who had stayed, however, cut off most contact with their Doriathrim kin to keep the ever-present eye of Morgoth away from them and their allies. That was, until now. 

“Did Erechil explain what trouble had befallen them, Celeblasdes? King Thingol did not elaborate when I asked for more information,” Oropher said as they guided his horse to walk in tandem with the dapple-grey steed of the marchwarden. Her features were obscured by the heavy cloak she had donned, though wisps of her silver hair still spilled out from their wooly confines and glinted softly under the cloudy sky. They watched as gloved hands carefully furled a torn map and deposited them in a side pocket of the pack that the marchwarden wore on her back. “Is the location of his settlement on the map?” 

“I do not understand why Queen Melian insisted that only we go on this journey. Beleriand is no longer safe and I have my duties at the border, not to mention the fact that you have the responsibility of overseeing the economy of Doriath and trade with our neighbors,” Celeblasdes responded, not turning to address them with eye contact as she spoke. The soft lilt with which she spoke Ossiriandrin was undercut by the irritation in her voice. “I know that the Queen is wise and learned, but this feels as if we are tempting fate to strike us down, or rather the fell creatures of Morgoth to kill us. Especially so soon after the battle that claimed the lives of many.” 

They opened their mouth to counter her words—it had been several years, though they quickly closed it and instead ran their hand over their face, the worn leather leaving an uncomfortable sensation against their cold skin. They had both lost nearly everything in the battle. Their homes, their land, their friends, and their families, though Celeblasdes’ uncle had survived. He was an accomplished archer of Sindar blood and had been a member of Thingol’s forces, saving him from the slaughter. The king had recovered quickly, relaxing as the Girdle of Melian was constructed, though the veil of mourning still hung heavily over them. His friend had been amongst the Laegrim forces, though she had been one of the few spared. In spite of the reservations of her uncle and others, she became a marchwarden as soon as Thingol allowed her to do so. She had been at the border since then. 

It would not do any good for them to argue with her. 

“You failed to answer my question, Cel. Do you know where we are headed? I would hate to inform Galdis that the infallible tracker Celeblasdes was unable to find the location of the settlement Queen Melian directed us to visit.” The tenseness in the air dissipated upon Oropher’s laugh at Celeblasdes’ flustered face. “You should just tell her, mellon. That way I can stop using her name to catch you off guard.”

“We will likely arrive in the evening,” she grumbled, having recovered from her embarrassment. “And I don’t have anything to tell her, Oropher. I also do not see how the affairs of my private life are your concern. If you wish to cause trouble, please do so with your own life. I would rather not come home after a year and a half to immediately quarrel with Galdis.” 

“In the hundreds of years that I have known you and the two years in which you have been living here, I have only seen you two fight a handful of times, and even then do you seem to resolve your arguments rather quickly. To respond to your poor jab as well, my life is actually rather free of strife at the moment. Our economy is good and trade is rather prosperous despite the conditions of Beleriand. Saeros continues to cause trouble for me, but this is not at all a new occurrence. I only wish that he would occasionally choose someone else to bother,” Oropher replied easily as they adjusted the straps of their pack. “Besides, it is unlikely that my meddling would cause any significant harm. I can feel the look you’re giving me as well, and no, I will not actually interfere in the relationship—my apologies,  _ friendship,  _ that you have with Galdis.” 

A derisive snort was the only response they received from the marchwarden. 

  
***

As the hours dragged on in relative silence, muted pinks and soft orange rays gently illuminated the cloudy sky. 

“The sunset is beautiful.” They slowly scanned the plains, though no figures presented themselves besides the flowers waving aimlessly in the wind. 

Oropher perked up as Celeblasdes pushed the hood of her cloak down and shook her head gently, a pensive expression on her face. “It is, though I see something in the distance. I think it may be smoke.” The furrow between her eyebrows increased before relaxing, an expression of horror replacing it. “Oropher, it’s in the direction of the settlement.” The marchwarden spurred her horse into a gallop and took off, Oropher following close behind with their eyes trained on the dark grey plumes that grew closer with each passing second. 

However, their fast pace did them no good, for all that was left of the settlement was ash scattered amongst heaps of charred wood. Celeblasdes quickly dismounted her steed and snuck silently amongst the wreckage with her bowstring drawn taut and an arrow nocked, Oropher following behind her in a similar position. After a quick sweep of the area, she placed the arrow back in its quiver and slung her bow over her back, though she continued to walk with her arms raised in front of her in a defensive position. They slowed to a walk and eventually stopped in front of what was most likely a house at some point, Celeblasdes stopping right before the entrance. The marchwarden wrinkled her freckled nose as she sniffed the air, rubbing a sliver of charred wood between two gloved fingers. 

“This fire was intentional. Someone wanted these houses to burn quickly and they used alcohol or something similar to do so,” the marchwarden murmured softly before standing and moving to the next house. She did not waste a moment before stepping inside the ruined foundation and using the toe of her leather boot to sift through the charred wreckage. “But the house is empty. If this one is, I have to wonder if all of them are. After all, we did not see any bodies in plain view when we walked past each, not to mention the lack of tracks. If there were elves running to escape the fire, we would see trample marks in the dirt. There is nothing here.” 

Oropher could not escape the sinking feeling in their stomach as they followed Celeblasdes’ gaze to the main meeting house. Where the others had burned almost entirely to ash, the meeting house was still partly intact, though it was still clear to them that the charred boards sitting atop the pile of wreckage were the few remaining pieces of the roof. 

“We have not checked the main house yet and the pieces from the roof are obscuring the rubble beneath,” they replied, their feet already moving in that direction. The embers had long since gone out and the night air was cool, though they knew that was not the cause of the chilling sensation passing through his body. A skeletal hand stuck out from the underside of what appeared to be the door. 

They could hear Celeblasdes yelling at them to wait but their feet moved of their own accord, carrying them inside the house and on top of the wreckage as he frantically tossed rubbish aside to reveal what lay beneath them. Empty sockets filled with ash and charred grins greeted them, though the skulls themselves rested on piles of bones and ash. They did not need to uncover more to know that similar sights would greet them in different areas of the house. 

“I have half a mind to slap you for your idiocy, Oropher. It is beyond idiotic to run off by your own when there are only two of us and an unknown enemy destroyed the settlement we are currently standing in,” Celeblasdes hissed through gritted teeth as she lifted their chin upwards and forced them to meet her gaze. They could feel the cold rage in her icy blue eyes, a sharp contrast to the warm expression her father constantly wore. However, they softened after a moment and she stood up fully, her eyes sweeping over the sight before her. “We should scour the surrounding areas for potential survivors and then bury the dead. Some of the tools should have survived the fire.” 

She carefully walked atop the wreckage, turning around once her feet had reached grass once more. Her fingers skimmed her longbow before she unstrapped the weapon, grabbing an arrow from her quiver a second later. It was unlikely that the perpetrators had lingered, though one could never be too cautious; especially not now. With one last look beneath them, Oropher made their way over to her and whistled for the horses to follow.

The disapproving look from the marchwarden was not entirely unexpected. “They may be too loud,” Celeblasdes said. “What would happen if we were ambushed because we were unable to hear our attackers coming?” 

Oropher had to wonder if their friend disagreed with him simply to disagree at this point in time. They knew her anger at their actions had not dissipated in the slightest, though they had faith in her to not let their actions influence her decisions. 

“We will need the horses if we are forced to leave quickly. Either way, we will be giving up one of our advantages. I also believe that there is no one here. Obviously, we must check though.” 

The likelihood of survivors was slim. They knew this settlement was small to begin with (that they did know), and it had not taken them much searching to know that when they walked on what had formerly been the roof of the main house, there were bones underneath each step they took. And any who managed to escape the fire were likely murdered by the enemy. They were likely gone as well, both a blessing and a curse. The two would be unable to take on the enemy forces with their meager number of two elves and limited supplies of arrows, though it also meant that they had no way to identify who had committed the crime and where they chose to retreat to after the incident. 

They pinched the bridge of their nose and exhaled slowly, completely aware of Celeblasdes’ eyes fixed on them. Why did Queen Melian want them here? Did she know this would take place? The queen was mysterious and they did not dare question her or King Thingol, though they found it hard to believe that Melian would allow a slaughter to happen if it was preventable. She wouldn’t. 

“We need to start moving, Oropher,” Celeblasdes said as a firm hand grasped their shoulder. The underlying anger was impossible to miss and they wondered if she had the same doubts as him. When they were children, Tindil would laugh at their antics and tease them about their like-mindedness. They remembered her saying on more than one occasion that she believed they shared a mind. Even after they moved to Doriath to pursue life in the court, Oropher and the marchwarden had remained close. It was impossible not to do so. With their parents still on the other side of the mountains, she was the closest thing to family they had. 

“You’re right,” they said quietly before mounting their horse. A moment later, only dust and ash that had been kicked up by moving hooves remained where they had once been standing. 

***

“Cel, did you hear that?” 

The lands surrounding the settlement had been devoid of any life beside the local wildlife in their sweep so far. They would complete the circle once they finished scouring the pond and the reeds providing foliage. It was also time for them to dismount. To properly search, they had to work on foot. It had been going fine; the pond was large and they kept close together, though nothing had happened so far. That was, until they heard it. Rustling in the bushes and a voice, they were sure of it. They were gripping their bow so hard that it was beginning to hurt but loosening their grip would only make their hand tremble. 

The marchwarden nodded in affirmation in front of them and they could see her fingers drift and silently nock an arrow in preparation of what they may face. Another whimper reached their ears. Oropher pushed Celeblasdes back and ignored her hushed protests as they unceremoniously splashed through the shallow waters and parted the reeds further in search of the origin of the sound. Their boots had already soaked through and they continued to catch on the mud at the bottom of the pond, though the issue was the farthest thing from their mind. Soft splashing from behind them alerted him to Celeblasdes’ presence, though they could feel the irritation and anxiety rolling off of her in waves. 

Finally, they reached the thickest section of reeds and pulled them apart slowly, their hands trembling slightly. In the dense foliage, there was a basket floating in the water, linens obscuring their view of the object within. Next to the basket, an elleth floated face-down in the water. Oropher flipped her immediately, though they knew it was too late. Two arrows had pierced her chest and she had long since drawn her last breath. 

“It was orcs,” Oropher murmured, closing the woman’s blank eyes with a gloved hand. “They never stood a chance. She must have been the only one to escape the fire, only to be killed here in the pond.” 

Celeblasdes opened her mouth to speak—most likely to reprimand him, though her words were interrupted by a sharp wail emanating from the basket. The piercing cry continued for a moment as they stared in shock before lessening to soft sobs with hiccups interspersed within them. The marchwarden waded next to him and slowly turned the basket towards them before carefully removing the linen from the top. A pair of teary grey eyes covered by wisps of pale blond hair greeted them. 

“It’s, it’s a child,” Celeblasdes whispered. “He must have belonged to the elleth. We should take him out of the water now. His mother as well.” The marchwarden gently lifted the basket into her arms and the child fell silent, much to the surprise of the two elves. While tears still fell from his eyes, the expression of distress had vanished. 

While Celeblasdes took the basket back to shore, Oropher gently lifted the elleth’s body out of the pond and carried it back to shore, laying it down on the grass next to them. A necklace with a silver chain sat in her closed fist. Her fingers were not yet difficult to bend, making it easy for them to retrieve the necklace and inspect it closely. The pendant itself was a flat disc with a lily engraved on the front while the back held a small inscription. 

“Thranduil,” Oropher said aloud. They turned to the child in the basket who was now holding onto Celeblasdes’ index finger, making the marchwarden’s lips curl upwards in the barest hint of smile. “Is that your name?” 

“Oropher,” Celeblasdes said. The smile had vanished and had been replaced by a somber look that fully reached her eyes. The baby, Thranduil, must have noticed as well, for he let go of her finger and stared at the two of them, babbling softly. “We need to get this child back to Doriath. He will likely be hungry soon and we have nothing that constitutes food for him. If we ride now, we will reach the borders in a few hours time.” 

They spared a glance at the body next to them, a tight feeling curling in their chest. “We can’t leave her like this. Even though predators have not yet touched her, they will soon.” Everyone in the settlement needed to be buried, though the others had already been reduced to charred skeletons. They turned fully towards Celeblasdes. “Do you still have the small shovel in your pack? The one you use for digging up roots?” 

The sight of the marchwarden rummaging through her pack and placing the shovel on the ground was his answer. It was not ideal. Far from ideal actually, burying the woman in the mud, but they had no other options. They had a child to bring back safely. 

Mud coated their knees and Thranduil began to hiccup and sob as they worked, prompting Celeblasdes to gingerly scoop him out of the basket and cradle her in his arms. It pacified the baby to a small extent—enough for the moment. 

The grave was two feet deep by the time they finished. Celeblasdes set Thranduil back in the basket and aided them in moving the woman into the pit before shoveling mud and dirt on her. They smoothed the mud as much as possible to make the scenery appear normal before plucking a nearby lily out of the water and placing it near the head. A few soft words were spoken before Oropher turned back to the child in the basket who continued to stare at them with curiosity shining in his grey orbs. 

“How do you suggest we carry him back? He will not be safe in the basket at full gallop,” Celeblasdes said as she came to stand next to him. She was right, of course. Not only would it be extremely uncomfortable, the risk of him falling out of the basket was too high. Instead….Oropher gently lifted Thranduil out of the basket and held him, the child snuggling close to them. Celeblasdes searched the basket and pulled a sling out from the bottom before taking Thranduil and handing it to them. 

She blushed at their confused look and quickly explained in a hushed tone. “You are rubbish when it comes to archery on horseback, Oropher. You would be best suited to protecting the child.” 

They shot her a half-hearted glare as they finished the final clasp on the sling. She was right of course, but the truth did not prevent their ego from taking a blow. “I can take him now.” 

Again, much to this surprise, the child did not fuss much once he was put in the sling. Rather than cry, they simply buried his head in their chest and closed his eyes. Oropher felt a wave of anxiety roll through them at the child’s sluggish behavior. They had been around children for years, though they knew very little about taking care of them. They needed to return to Doriath soon. 

As Celeblasdes helped them mount their steed they took one last look at the wreckage beyond the hill, sighing softly. They were doing the right thing, they knew that. A glance at the child lying against their chest brought an odd feeling in his chest though they pushed it away as his friend swiftly mounted her own steed, sparing only a moment to adjust her position before beginning the trek back to Doriath, Oropher and Thranduil following close behind. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oropher and Celeblasdes are given a private audience with King Thingol and Queen Melian.

Unsurprisingly, a silver-head of hair could be spotted in the distance as Celeblasdes and Oropher neared the borders of Doriath. Beleg had objected strongly to the two of them going to investigate Erechil’s urgent summons, though King Thingol dismissed his concerns and sent them regardless. While Queen Melian was not the ruling power of Doriath, her husband deferred to her often. Her wisdom and foresight was well-known and she assured the marchwarden that his niece and Oropher would be safe, though he had remained skeptical. Beleg had just lost his brother. He could not lose his niece as well. 

Tearing their eyes away from the treeline, Oropher focused once more on the sleeping baby curled against their chest. Thranduil had cried periodically during the first hour of their ride, though he had quieted down to soft sobs at the beginning of the second before falling asleep only moments later. 

What was surprising was the escort waiting beside him. As they rapidly approached, several faces became distinguishable in the crowd. Galdis’ long braids sat piled atop her head in a neat bun while her face was taut with what Oropher assumed to be worry or stress. A satchel full of what they presumed to be medical supplies was slung over her back, though they weren't sure. From the corner of their eye they could see Celeblasdes’ grip tighten on the reins, though she kept her current pace with her horse galloping in tandem with theirs. 

Silence greeted them when they slowed to a halt in front of the marchwardens and escort, though it lasted for only a moment. Beleg stepped forward, the worried expression slowly slipping off of his face as his eyes roamed over Oropher, Thranduil and Celeblasdes. His own silver hair was out of his customary braid and instead was tied back in a tight ponytail, his bangs framing his face. 

“We’ve been expecting you,” Beleg said with a grim frown. “Queen Melian sent an escort to take you, Celeblasdes, and the added member of your party straight to Menegroth for an audience with her majesty and King Thingol.” 

At his answer, Oropher pulled Thranduil closer to their chest and nodded sharply. It was not surprising to hear that Queen Melian already knew of the elfling they had brought back. A part of them went so far as to wonder if she knew that they would only being bringing a baby and news of a massacre when they returned from the settlement, though they quickly pushed it down and steered their horse to fall in line behind Captain Losseneth, their free arm still clutching Thranduil tightly. It was a small miracle that the child hadn’t woken up and they briefly worried that there was something amiss, though Galdis did not seem concerned and they could still feel Thranduil’s tiny breaths puffing against the exposed skin of their neck in a steady rhythm. 

The journey was spent in near silence until they arrived at the entrance to Menegroth and were forced to dismount from their horses, stablehands appearing and leading them away soon after they took the most essential supplies.

Thranduil began to fuss soon after they gave Celeblasdes their pack. They were about to try their best to soothe the child but then white cloth flashed in the corner of his periphery and they looked up to find Galdis staring at them with assessing eyes. Her healers satchel was slung over her back though her gloved hands were free of items. 

“I can take the child now, Oropher. He needs to be checked over and I imagine that he’ll need to be fed soon as well,” Galdis said quietly. It wasn’t like her to whisper, though they assumed that she was doing it for their sake. The other members of the escort were stealing glances at the trio enough as it was. “We’re definitely talking about this later, though. Before you go to the border, Cel, whenever that may be.” 

The marchwarden shrugged, her shoulder brushing up against the loose white sleeves that Galdis wore. “I’m not sure. I assume that it will be soon, but we will have to wait and see what King Thingol and Queen Melian decide. They wished to speak to both of us,” she replied softly. The tension in her shoulders and slight clenching of her jaw at the mention of the king and queen was unmistakable and Oropher could only hope that she would be able to make her wariness less visible by the time they arrived in the court. Though they were not sure that it would change much. Queen Melian could see through elves. It would not surprise them if it turned out that she already knew of Celeblasdes’ distrust of both her and her husband. 

Galdis slipped a hand on her shoulder and squeezed, giving the silver-haired elf a reassuring smile that she quickly returned. “I have faith in both of you. Things have been calm here in Menegroth and I did not sense any agitation when I was asked to accompany the escort to the border. To be honest, I expected to find one or both of you in need of medical treatment after a reckless stunt you must have pulled. I did not foresee this,” she said, gesturing to the child. 

“Neither did we. It was perhaps the last thing we expected,” Oropher murmured, staring at Thranduil’s sleeping face. “Do you need to take him now?” 

“Yes, I do. My naneth will likely want to examine the child now. Infant care is not something I am very knowledgeable in.” Upon seeing their face, Galdis laughed and shook her head. “You may come and see the child after your audience with the king and queen is over. I promise that he is in good hands.” 

Oropher was well aware that Thranduil was, they trusted Galdis and Celerieth with their life, after all. However, it did not make removing the sling from their body and gently handing the child to a waiting Galdis any easier. Their hands lingered for a moment before they returned to their sides and the healer gave them a smile and a nod before journeying inside the gate accompanied by one of the guards from the escort. 

“You’ve already grown attached.”

They snorted and and turned to face Celeblasdes so Oropher could remind her of the fondness present in her own eyes when she looked at Thranduil, though they could feel her grab their hand and lead them inside as the rest of the escort followed, save for Captain Losseneth who walked in front of them. A quick glance over their shoulder revealed Beleg’s presence at the rear and they briefly wondered why he had not come forward to speak to his niece, though it was both a private matter and a subject that was incredibly delicate for the marchwarden, so they kept silent when Celeblasdes gave him an odd look. 

The burn scars on their neck itched and Oropher had to resist the urge to raise their hand and scratch at the fine web of healed skin that rested there. It was a difficult task for their self-control, though it did help distract them from the daunting discussion ahead. Knowing that Galdis would likely yell at them for disturbing the skin also helped keep them from touching their neck. 

Their fingers began to tingle and their body grew restless as they reached the throne room, the imposing ornate wood doors standing closed before them. Oropher knew what was awaiting them on the other side, though it came of little comfort to them. 

A cool hand briefly slipped into their own and squeezed tightly before letting go. They could see Celeblasdes’ neutral expression from the corner of their eye as they tilted slightly to catch her in their periphery. 

Two guards opened the doors and they stepped inside, the doors swinging shut behind them only a moment after. 

King Thingol and Queen Melian both sat upon their thrones of stone with wood and jewels weaving between the carvings, the crystals catching on the sunlight that filtered through the roof of the caves and casting patterned rays of light onto the floor that they stood on. Tiny white flowers peeked out of the thick braid that spilled over the queen’s shoulder and rested in her lap. Her expression was unreadable, as it often was, though it was easy for Oropher to pick out the curiosity and weariness in King Thingol’s face. 

“We’ve been expecting you, Counselor Oropher and Marchwarden Celeblasdes.” The king’s smooth voice washed over them and they knelt before the throne, rising after a moment. 

“We thank you for your audience, my king, my queen. We are in your service,” Oropher responded smoothly. Celeblasdes had remained silent the entire time, her head bowed a minute amount in respect. 

Queen Melian shifted slightly, her onyx eyes focused on them. It was difficult to keep their feet from moving or their fingers from drumming a pattern into their thigh, though they remedied their issue by interlocking their fingers behind their back and steeling their nerves before letting out an inaudible sigh. Her endless sight seemed to pierce through their soul. They would not be surprised if it did, in some ways. Maiar such as Queen Melian possessed many abilities unknown to elves. 

King Thingol nodded shortly and Oropher knew it was a cue to respond. 

“The settlement was destroyed when we arrived, my king. Celeblasdes believes that the ones who burned it down used an accelerant of sorts, perhaps alcohol. We searched for survivors, but…” they trailed off and Oropher could feel their throat close up slightly, the scent of smoke lingering in his mind. 

“There was only one that we could find, my king. All of the elves we could find save for two had been trapped under the wreckage of the main house. It appears that they had all been trapped inside when the fire started. We completed a sweep of the surrounding area and found an elleth in a nearby pond. It appeared that she had been shot by orcs given the nature of the arrows and the poison that we could smell. Before we left, I grabbed one arrow and wrapped it in cloth. It is currently in my pack. The other lies with the elleth in the grave we dug.” 

“And the survivor you spoke of? I presume that is the child you gave to Lady Galdis before coming here,” Queen Melian asked, her eyes flitting from the far-off point they had been fixated on to look at the marchwarden instead. 

Celeblasdes didn’t flinch. “It is. He was floating in a basket next to the elleth in the pond. When we went through his basket, we found a necklace that seemed to belong to him. The name on it was ‘Thranduil’. Galdis asked to take the child to her mother to ensure that he could be examined and taken care of.” 

The queen nodded and shifted slightly, leaning back into her throne. “I see. Were there any clues to the child’s parentage other than this, marchwarden?” 

“No there were not, your majesty. All we could find was the pendant,” Celeblasdes responded evenly. “Other than that, we do not know the child’s identity.” 

“He was Erechil’s son. Making him a distant kin of you, Counselor Oropher,” King Thingol interjected. “We only received news of his child a few months prior to your journey to the settlement. Though at this time, there was no strife to speak of, only a minute increase in activity with the orc packs in the area. It appears now that things were more serious than we believed them to be.” 

Silence hung in the air for a moment. 

“The child is an orphan now, then,” Oropher said quietly. Erechil’s family was dead just like Oropher’s. Besides those who resided over the mountains, Oropher was one of the few of their line that was still alive after the disastrous war. 

“He is,” Queen Melian agreed. “Though he does not have to be alone, counselor. As per the laws of Doriath, kin of orphaned children, either distant or close, may adopt the child more easily than those who share no relation.” 

Oropher’s head snapped up at the suggestion and they stared at the impassive face of Queen Melian with both shock and confusion. “My queen….” 

“You two already share a bond, counselor. I would go as far to say that you are growing attached to the child even as we speak,” Queen Melian continued. “It would be best for him to be raised amongst his own people, especially those who would understand the pain he shall eventually face.” 

There wasn’t enough time for them to parse through her cryptic statement. “My queen, I have no children myself. I have never raised a child. I do not mean to question your wisdom, but I fear that I will not be able to take care of Thranduil,” Oropher pleaded. 

Did they care for the child? They supposed that they did, though it had not even been a day since Oropher had stumbled across the basket in the pond. Their lifestyle was not suitable for a child, especially one who had just lost his own family and people. Their fingers tingled as he thought about the way Thranduil’s chubby hands grasped at their own hand, babbling while he made an attempt to chew the tendrils of hair that fell within his reach. 

“Would you forsake this child, Counselor Oropher?” King Thingol asked coolly, though the storm brewing in his eyes was easy to see. None of this made sense to them, the attitudes of the king and queen were strange. They barely knew the child. There was no connection between them. 

However, disobeying the king who had provided them shelter and kindness was a foolish act and Oropher considered themself to be smarter than that. The two rulers wished for them to adopt the child for some reason, one they would not divulge. There were few options for them.

Oropher raised their head and looked the king in the eye before speaking, their voice unwavering. “I would not, my king. I will take him as my own.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a hard time writing Thingol and Melian, though part of that is because I despise Thingol and want to be fairly objective so I don't want to let my hatred show completely. 
> 
> I'm also not going to get into Oropher's parentage/lineage until later on in the story, so for now, it's pretty vague. However, being kin of Thranduil, they do have a legal basis for adopting the child. We'll learn later on why Melian and Thingol are pushing for them to adopt him, even though Oropher is very hesitant.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if the summary is bad, I truly suck at them lmao. 
> 
> Laiquendi is the Quenya word for the elves, so I used Laegrim, the Sindarin word instead.


End file.
